What You Really Mean To Me
by Chipolata
Summary: Lying on Ash's bed at night, Pikachu makes a wish upon a falling star. By morning, everything's changed. Can they both cope?
1. Chapter One: A Wish Upon A Falling Star

WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN TO ME

by Chipolata

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or Dragonball Z. This is NOT a crossover fic, okay? Dragonball Z is merely mentioned.

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It had been a long, hard day of Pokemon Training for Ash. He had finally received a Rainbow badge from the Celadon City Gym and it's leader, Erika. It'd taken a lot of effort, but Ash had managed to help save the Gym from a fire and rescue Erika's Gloom from the blaze. Pikachu hadn't gotten to fight, but had assisted Misty and the other Gym trainers in getting other grass Pokemon out. Everyone agreed that they all deserved a rest.

"How about a movie?" Misty suggested over a strawberry sundae.

"What a great idea, Misty!" Ash agreed.

"That sounds like a good idea. The Celadon Times advertised a new movie which started yesterday called 'The Tree of Might'. It's supposed to be a must-see for all Dragonball Z fans." Brock told them.

"Really? I love that show. What about you, Misty? What do you think?" Ash asked.

"I only saw a little bit, but I don't mind." Misty said.

"Pi-pika!" Pikachu added.

"My little brothers all used to watch that show." Brock said. "The movie's on later tonight at 7:30. You want to go then?"

"Yeah!" Ash and Misty cheered.

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Later, at the Celadon City Cinemas....

"I can't wait!" Ash was standing in line, bouncing and trying to see the front of the queue.

"Pika!" Pikachu commented from on top of Ash's hat.

The line was enormous. Celadon City seemed to be home of Dragonball fans. Everyone was talking excitedly and swapping tidbits of information about the movie and the series. Some had even brought along their trading cards to... well, trade.

(AN: This sounds like the line for a Pokemon movie, ne?)

Finally, Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Brock got to the front of the queue.

"What can I do yer for?" The lady at the tickets desk asked.

"One adult, two children for 'The Tree of Might'." Brock told her.

She printed out the tickets.

"That will be $27 thankyou." She said, looking up and spotting Pikachu. "Oh, and we don't allow Pokemon inside the cinema."

"What'dya mean, you don't allow Pokemon?" Ash demanded. "Pikachu isn't going to do anything. He's very well behaved, and on top of that, he's my best friend! Why wont you let him in?"

"Sorry kid, that's just the rules." She told him.

"What?" Ash yelled.

"C'mon Ash, just put Pikachu in his ball and we'll go watch the movie." Misty said.

"Sorry, no Pokeballs of any kind either." The lady said.

"Why not?" Misty asked.

"Not sure, I don't make the rules. Might be 'cause trainers like to take the balls in and release their Pokemon inside."

"Can't you just let Pikachu in? We promise he won't do anything." Brock promised.

"Nope. You want me to loose my job?"

"Fine!" Ash yelled. "You wont let Pikachu in? I don't want to see the stupid movie anyway!" Ash stormed away from the complex.

Brock and Misty caught up to him.

"Ash, you really wanted to see that movie!" Misty said.

"Pikachu and I are best friends. It wouldn't be right to see the movie without him." Ash said.

Pikachu couldn't help staring, awed by his friend's behaviour.

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After Ash had stormed a couple of blocks towards the Pokemon Center, Brock and Misty had managed to calm him down enough to suggest shopping at a nearby center which had a large 'PokeTrainer' store, full of supplies of all kinds for Pokemon fanatics, breeders and trainers. With a little splurging Ash began to feel better, and found some great ways to spend his prize money.

After a quick meal, as the mall was closing, the three trainers (plus one Pokemon) made their way back to the Pokemon Center where they were staying. Ash insisted on trying out his new Pokemon brush on Pikachu's fur, before deciding to hit the sack. Misty and Brock joined him not long after.

From the end of Ash's bed, Pikachu got a clear view of the stars through the window. Pikachu watched the lights twinkle against the ink black sky.

There, suddenly! One fell, shooting across the sky, leaving a long white trail.

'Make a wish.' Pikachu reminded himself.

"Pi pika, chu pika pi pika chu pi." Pikachu wished. 'I wish Ash could know what he means to me."

The shooting star's light fell beyond the horizon. Pikachu lay down and soon went to sleep.


	2. Chapter Two: Mysterious Pink Girl

WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN TO ME

by Chipolata

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon

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Pikachu woke early the next morning, stiff and sore. Before he could move very far, he saw someone at the end of the bed.

She was small and child-like. She had long, pink hair and a long flowing gown. Her eyes were large and bright blue, with a playful twinkle in them.

Pikachu could tell that she wasn't any ordinary person. First, she had a long, pink, furry tail poking out from under her dress, and second, she was floating two feet off the ground.

Looking right at Pikachu, she giggled, and said:

"One day! Don't forget that Pikachu, okay?" Her voice was young and fun-filled.

She giggled some more, with her hands over her mouth. Then she floated to the ceiling as if she were in water, tail behind her, and vanished.

'I wonder what she meant.' Pikachu wondered, yawning and stretching.

Pikachu promptly fell off the bed.

"Ouch!" He yelped.

'Why did I fall off? Did the bed shrink or something?' Pikachu thought, then suddenly realized, "Did I yell 'Ouch'?!?"

Ash stirred. "Please, no autographs, I need this arm to wave," he murmured, still half-asleep. "Mmmm... wha?"

Ash sat up and rubbed his eyes. He yawned and stretched his arms, forcing himself awake.

"Good morning, Pika-" he said to the end of the bed. "Pikachu?"

The end of his bed was empty. Unusual, that's where Pikachu was last night.

Ash crawled to the end of the bed, looking for his Pokemon pal. Pikachu had, on previous occasions, been known to fall off the bed when turning over.

But instead of Pikachu lying on the ground, was an extremely confused, naked, blonde-haired, brown-eyed, 11-year-old boy, who was staring at his hands with panic on his face.

"Who're you?" Ash asked the boy.

"A-Ash?" The boy asked, turning, and completely terrified. "Oh man, I did it again..." He started sobbing.

"Did what again?" Ash inquired.

"Spoke Human-tounge..."

Ash was about to ask what he meant by that, when another more pressing question arose.

"How do you know my name?" Ash demanded.

The boy didn't answer, just curled up into a little ball, hands on his head, eyes closed tightly.

That's when Ash noticed the tail.

Long and yellow, with brown at the base, lightning shaped and attached firmly to the base of his spine.

"Chuuuuu...." The boy moaned.

You could practically hear the cogs and gears in Ash's head turning as he processed all this new information. His brillaint mind was deducting all possiblities. His brain was shoved into overdrive, thinking, thinking, until the answer came...

"What did you say your name was?" Ash asked.

Pikachu would have dropped, had he not already been on the floor and in such a state for distress.

"Pi-ka!" He wailed, surprised he could revert to his old language.

"Pika?" Ash questioned, then it clicked. "Pikachu? Is that you?"

Pikachu nodded.

"What happened?" Ash asked.

"I-I don't know!" Pikachu exclaimed. "I just woke up and I... I..."

Pikachu shivered. Noticing that his friend was cold, Ash grabbed his green backpack and took out his (clean) spare underwear, yellow shirt with the zig-zag, and denim shorts, and gave them to Pikachu.

Pikachu pulled the shirt over his head. He began pulling the boxers up but stopped.

"Ash... could you...?" He asked sheepishly.

"Uh? Oh, sure." Ash ripped a hole in the back of the undies and the shorts for Pikachu's tail.

"Thanks." Pikachu sat down on the bed next to Ash.

"Can you remember anything unusual?" Ash asked.

"Um, yeah! When I woke up this morning, there was this girl. A pink one." Pikachu thought hard. "She said, 'One day, don't forget that.' What do you think she meant?"

"Maybe she was the one who did this! Maybe she was telling you that you're only human for one day." Ash said.

"Maybe..."

"Or, it could have been Misty in a pink dress." Ash suggested.

"I doubt it." Pikachu sweatdropped.

"Well," Ash stood up. "If you do only have one day as a Human, then you're going to have to make the most of it."

"What d'ya mean?" Pikachu asked.

"Well, you should do all the things you couldn't do as a Pokemon."

"Like go to the cinema!"

"Yeah!" Ash agreed. "And there's that carnival Brock told us about..."

"And the Zoo!"

"And watch a Pokemon battle at Erika's make-do Gym!"

"And go to a theatre!"

"WHAT is with all the NOISE?!?!" Misty yelled. "Can't a girl get her beauty sleep?"

"Misty!" Ash exclaimed. "You'll never guess what happened to Pikachu last night!!!"

"What are you talking about?" Misty asked, annoyed that she'd been woken so early in the morning.

"Pikachu's human!!" Ash cried.

"What?" It was too early for any kind of information to sink in to Misty's brain.

"Pikachu was turned into a human by a pink fairy!!" Ash yelled again.

"It's the Blue Fairy, idiot." Misty said, turning over.

"No, she was definately pink." Pikachu told her.

Misty looked at Pikachu. Then, as her early morning stupor wore off, each piece of information began to collect.

"Pikachu?!?" She leapt out of bed, only to fall on her butt on the floor.

"Yeah, that's me." Pikachu admitted, hand behind his head.

"Isn't it great?" Ash exclaimed. "Now Pikachu can do all the things he couldn't do as a Pokemon!"

"We only have one day, though." Pikachu told Misty.

"One day? But there's so much to do! Go to the cinema, or that carnival Brock told us about, or the Zoo, or watch a Pokemon Battle, go to the theatre..." Misty rattled off some ideas.

"What are we waiting for?" Ash asked.

"Brock, maybe?" Pikachu suggested, pointing to the sleeping man who was muttering something like, "Yes please, and with maple syrup."

"Oh yeah."


	3. Chapter Three: A Day of Fun

WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN TO ME

by Chipolata

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or Dragonball Z. Again, no crossover. I don't own Macbeth, or any Shakespeare piece at all. No crossover.

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"I don't believe this!" Brock exclaimed for the tenth time. "Pikachu's a human!"

They were walking down the streets of Celadon, to their first destination: the Carnival. After waking Brock and explaining what'd happened, he suggested to save the most time, they book ahead with all the places they wanted to go. They had tickets for Macbeth at noon, then they could go to the Zoo at three, there was a Poke-battle at five, and they had seats reserved for The Tree of Might at six-thirty.

Since Pikachu had woken early, they could stay at the carnival for three hours before they had to leave to get to the theatre.

The carnival was alive with people. Happy chatter, screams and bright music met the ears, while the eyes were treated to smiling faces, colourful tents and rides. Pikachu had never been allowed in a place like this before.

"This is going to be great!" Ash told him.

Ash grabbed Pikachu's wrist and lead him through the crowd.

"Hey Pikachu, you wanna try fairy floss?"

"Ash, look, there are the games!"

"Pikachu! A rollar coaster!"

"Hey look! Let's get some costumes from that store, Ash!"

"They're like two little kids." Misty sighed.

"They _are_ kids." Brock reminded her. "And so are you."

Having been in many Pokemon battles, Pikachu's aim was quite good, and managed to win a large pile of toys at the shooting gallery. Ash insisted on going on all the rides, leaving Pikachu rather green by the end. They went around trying all the different carnival foods.

"Time to go," Brock finally said, pointing at his watch.

Ash and Pikachu left wearing Pokemon 'outfits', masks and gloves and tails. Ash was a Charizard, and Pikachu was a Blastoise. Misty carried her Goldeen costume, and Brock put his Gengar things in his backpack.

"Fire spin! Whoooosh!!" Ash mimicked.

"Rah! Hydro pump!" Pikachu countered.

"Ah! You got me!" Ash feigned defeat.

"You two are embarassing." Misty told them.

Misty needn't have worried about the pair's behaviour in the theatre. They soon were captured by the story of the Thane who was told by three psychic Pokemon that he could be King. They loved the appearance of real Pokemon, like Rapidash to carry the actors on, or Pidgeotto making the night cries.

"Please't your Highness to grace us with your royal company?"

"The table's full."

"Here is a place reserved, Sir."

"Where?" Macbeth started at the appearance of a ghost.

"How did they make the actor appear like that?" Ash whispered.

"I think it's just a ghastly posing as the actor." Pikachu replied.

When the play finished, it was Ash and Pikachu who applauded the loudest.

Out in the lobby, the audience got to meet the actors and the Pokemon. Ash talked to 'Banquo', and Pikachu walked up to a ghastly.

*Hi!* Pikachu said in Pikachu.

*Hello.* Ghastly replied in Ghastly. *I saw you in the audience, little Blastoise.*

*So you were Banquo's ghost?*

*Yes. Did you like my performance?*

*Very much so.*

Ash tapped Pikachu on the shoulder.

"People are staring at you." He said.

Pikachu looked around and blushed.

"If we want any time at the Zoo, we need to catch the bus now." Brock told them.

Grateful for a reason to leave the theatre and get away from the stares, Pikachu followed his friends out.

Riding the bus in itself was an adventure for Pikachu, not because they didn't allow Pokemon, but because they usually just walked. There were plenty of Pokemon on the bus, and Pikachu had to keep reminding himself not to talk to them.

"Orrrdish! Diissshhh!" An Oddish cried as it's trainer tried to calm it.

"What's the matter, Oddish?" She asked it.

"It's tired." Pikachu spoke up.

"What?" The trainer asked.

"Uh, I said it's tired." Pikachu realised it was too late to back off.

"How can you tell?" She asked.

"I, uh..." Pikachu couldn't tell the truth, could he? "I train Pokemon myself. Your Oddish's leaves are droopy but really green, which means it's tired. If they were dull, it'd be thirsty."

"Oh." The girl looked at her Oddish, then put it on the seat.

"Here you go, Oddish." She said, wrapping it in a blanket and placing it in the top of her backpack. "You can ride there."

The Oddish calmed down, and pretty soon was fast asleep. The trainer thanked Pikachu.

"You must really know a lot about Pokemon." She commented.

"I know a little." Pikachu replied, blushing.

"Next stop: Celadon City Zoo." The bus driver called.

Brock indicated to the driver that they wanted to get off, and the four of them disembarked.

The Zoo was enormous! Once inside, Pikachu could see that there were both Pokemon exhibits and animals to see.

"I want to see the Water Creatures!" Misty said.

"I want to see the Big Cats!" Ash said.

"I want to see it all!" Pikachu exclaimed.

"Why not?" Brock asked, checking the map.

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"Do you see what I see?"

"I think I do!"

"Why would the Twerp Trio be here?"

"Who cares? We can grab Pikachu along with all the other Pokemon!"

"Wait, there are four of them."

"What?"

"Yeah, four. And I don't see Pikachu anywhere."

"Idiot! Pokemon aren't allowed in the Zoo. The brat probably put Pikachu in it's Pokeball."

"So, are we still going ahead with the plan?"

"Of course we are! Just you wait and see, the boss will be so happy with this load of Pokemon that he'll forget all about our past failures and give us raises!"

"And I'll be his favourite cat again!"

Team Rocket laughed. This plan would work for sure.


	4. Chapter Four: Prepare For Trouble

WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN TO ME

by Chipolata

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or Dragonball Z. Again, no crossover. I don't own Macbeth or any Shakespeare piece at all. No crossover. I don't own frozen coke, though I wish I did. Oh, and no Harry Potter either, otherwise I'd be a millionaire.

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Pikachu slurped on his frozen coke, and peered through the glass that came between him and an enormous Arbok. The lights in the Poke-reptile house were low and the air was warm, and the Arbok was clearly enjoying its mid-afternoon nap.

'This is the first time I've been this close to an Arbok without it trying to attack me.' Pikachu noted to himself.

"Wow, lookit the Arbok!" Two young boys ran up to the glass to stare at the overgrown cobra.

"Aw, it's boring. Why won't it move?" One complained.

The other knocked on the glass.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Pikachu advised. "You might upset it."

"So?" The first sneered.

"You think that glass is enough to stop that snake? It could take it out with one Tail Whip. Then all it would take would be a Poison Sting and oops! You're dead." Pikachu mimed the attack with his hands.

The two boys turned slightly green, then quickly moved on to the next exhibit.

Arbok opened one eye and looked at Pikachu. *Thanks,* it hissed.

*No problem.* Pikachu replied, with a sneak wink.

"Hey Pikachu!" Ash waved to his friend from the door. "They've opened a new Legendry Pokemon exhibit! C'mon!"

"Coming!" Pikachu replied, and jogged up.

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"Pokéballs?"

"Check!"

"Nets?"

"Check!"

"Meowth-balloon, hidden and ready for take off?"

"Check!"

"Special effects, for use with out motto?"

"Check!"

"I think we're ready."

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"It looks like they have all kinds of rare Pokemon in here! It must have been very hard to catch them all." Misty commented.

"That's right, it did."

The four kids turned.

"Nurse Joy?" Misty asked.

"Yes, that's right." Joy replied, brushing down her zookeeper uniform a little. "I tend to the Pokemon in the Zoo. I love working in this exhibit. All of these Pokemon are so beautiful."

"What kinds of Pokemon are in here, Nurse Joy?" Brock asked.

"Well, we have some Clefable, a Ninetales, Arcanine, Alakazam, Rapidash, a family of Lapras, Vaporeon, Flareon, Jolteon, Porygon, Dragonair and a Dragonite." Nurse Joy listed. "Plus, we've constructed a display about Pokemon so rare that not even we could find them. Omastar, Kabutops, Aerodactyl, Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos, and Mew. This exhibit cost the Zoo a lot of money."

"Wow." Ash breathed.

"The best part is, all the Pokemon are here voluntarily. That means people can get really close to them, much closer than if they were here against their will." Nurse Joy smiled. "All the Pokemon at the Zoo are here because they want to be."

"That's great!" Pikachu grinned.

Nurse Joy was right about one thing: the Pokemon were quite beautiful. The Clefable danced their Moon Stone Dance for the crowd; Ninetales was sunning itself and waving its tails; Vaporeon showed off its glittering scales while Jolteon and Flareon played. All of the Pokemon looked quite happy to be there.

Pikachu walked on to the display about the other rare Pokemon Nurse Joy had told about. He read about the Legendry Bird Trio, and the tale of the three islands and creating the ocean. He read about the trio of extinct Pokemon, and how some Poke-experts believed they could still be alive.

Then he got to the last, Mew.

And the picture of a small, cat-like Pokemon with _big, sparkling blue eyes and a long, pink tail..._

"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked of his staring friend.

"This Pokemon... seems familiar somehow. I can't put my finger on it." Pikachu explained. "Like I met it, and forgot."

"Hmm." Ash frowned at the illustration.

**KABOOOOOM!!!**

An enormous explosion shook the ground! Ash and Pikachu fell to the ground. Screams split the air from Pokemon exhibit, accompanied by the screeches of the Pokemon themselves. Dust floated in.

"What was that?" Ash asked.

The two got to their feet and ran back. People and Pokemon lay on the ground, covered in dust and some pinned under cement. A large part of the building had fallen down.

"Is everybody alright?" Pikachu called out. "_Pika pi, chu pikachu_?"

_"Prepare for trouble!"_

_"Make it double!"_

Ash and Pikachu spun around.

"Team Rocket." Ash hissed.

_"To protect the world from devastation!"___

_"To unite all peoples within our nation!"___

_"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"___

_"To extend our reach to the stars above!"___

"Jessie!" Jessie stepped out of the darkness.

"James!" James stepped out from behind her.

_"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"_

_"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"_

"Meowth, that's right!" Meowth concluded, and there was an explosion of coloured smoke. "Quick! The Great balls the Boss gave us!"

"Right!" Jessie and James replied, and began throwing the green balls at the Pokemon.

"Stop!" Ash yelled, running up to Team Rocket. "I won't let you steal all these Pokemon! Pikachu!"

"Ash!" Pikachu snapped with a frown.

Ash blinked. "Oh yeah, I forgot..."

Jessie laughed. "Left Pikachu behind, have we?"

"Big mistake." Meowth grinned.

"Now it looks like you've got nothing to stop us with!" James grabbed a Pokéball from his waist. "Koffing! Go!"

"You too, Ekans!" Jessie threw her own Pokéball.

"_Koffing!"_

"_Ekanssss!"_

Ash turned to Pikachu, eyes pleading. Pikachu looked at the mess of injured people and dirty Pokemon not yet inside a Great ball.

'That's it!' Pikachu realized with a smirk.

Pikachu looked at Ash, and flicked his eyes to the Pokemon.

Ash grinned.

*Alright!* Pikachu announced to the Pokemon left. *We're going to need your help fighting our way out of this!*

Alakazam, Clefable and Ninetales turned their heads to the tailed human.

*You're the strongest Pokemon here! Are you going to battle?* Pikachu asked.

The three Pokemon nodded.

"What an idiot!" James sneered.

"He actually thinks he can speak Pokemon!" Jessie chuckled.

"He can!" Meowth stepped back worriedly.

"What!?" Jessie and James exclaimed.

Ash grabbed a Pokéball and threw it at Jessie and James. "Primape! Go!"

"_Oh NO!" Jessie and James bellowed as the Pokéball exploded into the large, fighting ape._

"Alakazam! Use a Psybeam! Ninetales, try Fire Blast!" Pikachu shouted.

The Pokemon nodded. Alakazam focused his spoons forward, and a colourful beam of light exploded at Ekans. At the same time, Ninetales threw her head forward, and a large ball of flames erupted from her mouth and flew towards Koffing.

Ash turned around. "Clefable! METRONOME!"

"Fable!" Clefable agreed, then raised its fingers and swung them. "Clefable! Clefable! Clefable! Clefable!"

A battered Team Rocket looked up just as Primape jumped out of the way.

"_Clefable!!"_

The ground under Team Rocket exploded, and the five were thrown clean through the air.

"Looks like we're blasting off again!!" Team Rocket called as they disappeared into the wide blue sky.

"They won't be back for a while." Ash smirked at Pikachu.

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Once Team Rocket had been disposed of, Ash, Pikachu, Alakazam, Clefable and Ninetales worked to free everyone of the debris.

"So how was it, being on the other end of a Pokemon battle?" Brock asked Pikachu as he was helped up.

Pikachu grinned. "Excellent. Almost as fun as actually battling."

Luckily, Team Rocket hadn't collected their Great balls, and the Pokemon which had been captured were freed.

"Thankyou so much for rescuing our Pokemon!" Nurse Joy gushed to Ash and Pikachu. "Your knowledge of Pokemon and their attacks must be vast!"

Pikachu and Ash grinned.


	5. Chapter Five: What You Really Mean To Me

WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN TO ME

by Chipolata

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or Dragonball Z. Again, no crossover. I don't own Macbeth, or any Shakespeare piece at all. No crossover. Okay, how about I just say this isn't a crossover piece?

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"That was awesome!" Pikachu beamed, waving his arms and showering the surrounding people with popcorn.

"Not really," Brock frowned. "Once you see enough Dragonball Z, you can predict the ending, and how far away it is."

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "They can't win if Goku still has his shirt on."

The four friends, Misty, Brock, Ash and Pikachu left the cinema. The Tree of Might was not especially long, and it was only seven-thirty. Pikachu flashed a big smile to the lady at the tickets desk, while Ash burst out laughing.

"That's not what I mean." Pikachu grabbed a fistful of popcorn and stuffed it in his mouth. "I mean, the cinema! The big screen, the loud sound, all around! Is that what all movies are like?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Misty slurped her orange soda. "Most other movies are longer that this one, though."

Pikachu paused, munching. Behind the Celadon cityscape, the sun was setting. The bright orange circle was tinting the sky to brilliant firey shades, melting upwards into a rich velvet purple night. A flock of bird Pokemon flew across the sky.

"Something up?" Ash asked, following Pikachu's gaze.

"Nah." Pikachu swallowed. "Well... my day's almost over."

"Yeah." Ash paused, realzing. "It was fun, wasn't it?"

"You bet!" Pikachu grinned.

The two fell quiet, watching the horizon. Knowing, Misty and Brock slowly started towards the Pokemon Center.

"Ash?" Pikachu begun.

"Mm-hmm?"

"I'm not sure how to say this..." Pikachu looked down at the popcorn bag. "Today's been great. I got to do all the things I couldn't do as a Pikachu. And..."

Pikachu frowned, trying to find the words. Ash turned to look at his friend.

"Well," Pikachu looked up. "You're the best friend I've ever had, Ash. Even as a Pokemon. You've stood up for me, when nobody else would. You've cared about whether I got hurt, even though that's a part of battle. Not many other trainers would do that."

Ash smiled, understanding.

"You've done the same for me too, Pikachu. Remember the Spearow? You were badly injured, and yet you still lept at that flock." Ash closed his eyes, and turned back to the last sliver of sun. "You're my best friend too, Pikachu."

Ash looked back. Pikachu was gone.

"Huh?" Ash turned, looking.

"_Pika-pi."_

Pikachu untangled himself from the T-shirt that was now too large, and sadly smiled up at Ash.

Ash knelt down, and extended his arm to Pikachu. Pikachu ran up to Ash's shoulder. Ash picked up his clothes and bundled them under his arm.

"C'mon, let's get back to the Pokemon Center."

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Half-visible behind a pale night cloud, the young girl with the bright blue eyes and long pink tail smiled.

"_Mew_," She cooed.

And with a soft glow, the cat-like legendry Pokemon flew off into the heavens.

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_"Pikachu!__ Thundershock!"_

_"Pika!__ Chuu!"_

With a brilliant blast of energy, the hapless Oddish fell to the ground in a deep faint.

"Oh, Oddish!" The young trainer gasped, running forward to her Pokemon.

"Way to go, Pikachu!" Ash cheered.

The small yellow mouse turned and grinned, offering a victory sign to his trainer.

His friend.

Always.


End file.
